As CBS 2’s Diane Macedo reported, the day started with 68 competitors.

The pack was eventually whittled down to one, but the two runners up didn’t make it easy for Anil Singh, Macedo reported.

Several late rounds were so challenging, in some cases all three got the word wrong.

“We haven’t has one of those in like the past six years but you know it’s expected. Because if it’s like short you know they’re just being eliminated right away but if it goes this long I’m like oh my God we’re doing something right, you know, they’re really studying,” Griselda Garcia with the Daily News told Macedo.

The finalists also faced some stiff competition from the brother of last year’s national winner, who placed in the top six in his first year competing.

“I felt scared that they were going to give me a word that I don’t know. But actually, all of the words that they gave, I knew them. All of the words they gave to everyone, I knew, except for two,” fifth grader Srinath Mahankali told Macedo.

The competition is open to students from grade 5 through 8 so many students, like Srinath, will get a chance to compete for the title again next year.

Arvind Mahankali won last year at the age of 13 after finishing in third place in 2011 and 2012. The Bayside Hills student correctly spelled knaidel for the win last year.

“I feel really excited and kind of surprised. I didn’t think I was going to win,” Singh said.

The first place winners from both days of the Daily News competition will now go on to represent New York in the Scripps National Spelling be at the end of May in Washington, D.C.

In addition to that giant trophy and an all expense paid trip to Washington, the New York champions will also receive an iPad, an iPod, a plaque and four passes to Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.